Reviews

Every now and then you hear a song and you think to yourself "I wish I’d written that." Fred Smith’s album is chock-a-block full of songs like that. Arresting, insightful and packed full of gritty detail, Fred Smith’s songs literally bash down the doors of national understanding and conscience. If there is any justice in the world, this album will be a major hit. John Schumann

These 12 songs have a singular power and emotional honesty, because Smith was actually there Warwick McFadyen, The Saturday Age, 30 July 2011

… the music of Fred Smith comes straight from the front line…raw, ribald, but also capable of moving grown men to tears. John Huxley, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2011

an exceptional songwriter and certainly the equal of Bogle, Walker and Schumann, Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald ‘Review of the Week’ 6–7 August 2011

a cycle of songs that are raw, remarkably honest and suitably ambivalent about the nature of war Bruce Elder Sydney Morning Herald ‘Review of the Week’ 6–7 August 2011

This album is, without doubt, a masterpiece Ian Dearden, Trad & Now, August 2011

a collection of songs that offers an intimate perspective on the war in Afghanistan. Bruce Elder Sydney Morning Herald ‘Review of the Week’ 6–7 August 2011

“I think he’s a star” Schumann says of Smith. “There’s so much vacuous bullshit around, it’s a delight to hear songs well-crafted, with something to say.” John Schumann quoted by Warwick McFadyen The Saturday Age, 30 July 2011

continues a tradition of profoundly affecting Australians-at-war ballads that includes Eric Bogle’s And the band played Waltzing Matilda, Don Walker’s Khe Sanh (Cold Chisel) and John Schumann’s I was only 19 Stephen Fitzpatrick The Weekend Australian Review ‘Cover Story’ 30–31 July 2011

“In a world full of vacuous songs, Fred’s is an incredibly strong body of work” John Schumann quoted by Stephen Fitzpatrick The Weekend Australian Review ‘Cover Story’ 30–31 July 2011

The presence of Fred Smith over the weekend was the highlight. Why this man isn't regarded as one of Australia's best-known songwriters is beyond me. His new material based on his experiences in Afghanistan is powerful, his guitar playing is understated and his lyrics incisive, deft and challenging. His song, "Dust of Uruzgan" rates is the best anti-war song written since Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" or Redgum’s "Only 19". One set saw him gone a standing ovation (in the middle of the set) which I've only witnessed two or three times in my 30 years of attending folks at festivals. Chris Spencer, Trad & Now, May 2011